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(No Model.)

P. E. BROWNE.

VBRMIN EXTERMINATOR. No. 338,629. Patented Mar. 23, 1886;

N. PETERS Pmlo-Limo n her, Wnihinglou. 11C.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

FRANK E. BROYVNE, OF LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA.

VERMlN-EXTERMINATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 338,629, dated March23, 1886.

Application filed December 21, 1885. Serial No. 186,309. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, FRANK E. BROWNE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Los Angeles, in the county of Los Angeles and State ofCalifornia, have invented a new and useful Improvement inVermin-Exterminators, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to that class of exterminators by means of whichthe vermin are destroyed by forcing smokeinto their burrows.

The object of my invention is to construct a cheap, simple, andconvenient device by means of which the smoke can be forced into theburrows of the animals to be destroyed. I accomplish this object bymeans of the device described herein and illustrated in the accompanyingdrawings, in which Figure l is a view of my device as it appears whenthe cylinder B is being raised. Fig. 2 is a vertical cross-section,showing the valve D J pushed down upon the cylinder B, to close it andforce it downward.

Ais the furnace-cylinder, near the bottom of which is a grate, L, tosustain the fuel and fire.

B is the valve-cylinder, which fits thereon or therein, as may bedesired.

D isa valve, of wood, having an iron facing, J, upon its under side anda crossbar, E, with handles F at each end. The handles F pass throughiron loops G, secured to the valve-cylinder B, at the top thereof, andextending above the same such a distance as to give a vertical play ofabout half an inch to the handles F and the Valve D J. The valve issomewhat larger in diameter than the cylinder B, and j uts out beyondthesides thereof, and the loops are bent outward from the top of thecylinder, so that the valve fits between them when it rests upon the topof the cylinder.

A bail, I, is pivoted to the furnace-cylinder A, at the middle thereof,and is of such length as to swing freely over either end thereof.

The manner of using my exterminator is as follows: The furnace-cylinderA is placed over the open burrow Q, and earth is banked up around it.Straw or other suitable fuel is then placed in the cylinder above thegrate L and ignited at the top. lVhen burning well, the valve-cylinderis placed upon the top of the furnace-cylinder and pushed down by meansof the handles and valve. The two cylinders fit closely enough upon eachother to require some slight pressure upon the upper one to force itdown. As the valve is pressed down upon its cylinder to force it down,it closes the end of the cylinder, thus inclosing the air contained inthe two cylinders, and as the upper cylinder is pushed down the airchamber formed by the two cylinders is shortened, and a portion of theair is forced down through the burning straw into the burrow of theanimal, carrying a cloud of smoke with it. When the valve-cylinder isdepressed as far as it will go, the operator pulls upon the handles,thus raising the valve until the handles come into contact with the topof the loops G, and leaving an opening at the top of the cylinder toadmit the air. A further upward motion of the handles raises thevalve-cylinder, the operator in the mean while holding his foot upon thebail to-hold the furnace-cylinder down. operation of moving theValve-cylinder up and down forces the smoke-burdened air into the burrowand suffocates the animal. When the fuel is exhausted, the machine isturned up side down, thus throwing the fire into the valve cylinder andupon the valve. The furnace-cylinder is then withdrawn from the The pvalve-cylinder and placed upon the mouth of the burrow and replenishedwith fuel. The fire is then poured out of the valve-cylinder upon thefuel in the furnace-cylinder, and the operation before described isrepeated.

It will be seen that by this device the first effect of an attempt toraise the valve-cylinder by means of the handle is to open the valve,thus allowing the ingress of air as the cylinder is raised, while thefirst effect of an attempt to 'push down the cylinder is to close theend thereof, and prevent the egress of air.

The metal facing J upon the valve is provided to prevent the valve fromburning; but the valve may be made wholly of either Wood or metal, asmay be desired. The cylinders are preferably of sheet metal.

The lower end of the furnace-cylinder may be funnel-shaped, to fit theburrow, as is customary in making such machines.

I am aware that two tubes sliding upon each other have heretofore beenused for the purpose of expelling powder-charged air from the inside ofsuch tubes, and do not claim such in the line of the axis of thecylinder, whereby the movement of the handles in-operating the machinewill first operate the valve and afterward the cylinder.

2. In a vermin-exterminator substantially such as described, thecombination of the movable valve D, handles F, loops G, and'cylin- 0'der B.

F. E. BRO W N E.

Witnesses:

J AS. R. TOWNSEND, E. LEOHLER.

